La Grande head coach Shawn Brooks and the Tigers look to shake up the OSAA Class 4A state basketball tournament with an upset victory over top-seeded Cascade on March 1, 2024.

CASCADE — After grabbing second place in the 4A Greater Oregon League playoffs, La Grande head coach Shawn Brooks takes the Tigers on the road on Friday, March 1, in first-round action of the OSAA Class 4A state basketball tournament.

Coming in as the 16th seed, La Grande plays for the upset as the team takes on top-seeded Cascade with a game starting at 5 p.m. in the Cougar gym.

La Grande makes the trip with a 7-18 overall record but an impressive run in the league tournament, posting wins over Ontario and Pendleton. The Tigers are coming off a Feb. 17 loss to the Baker Bulldogs, 94-28.

Host Cascade hosts as the top-ranked 4A team in the state with a 19-4 overall record, including a claim as the lone team to take a victory over Baker this season. The Cougars dominated the 4A Oregon West Conference, but did take a nonleague loss recently, falling 76-54 to Crook County.

Cascade suffered losses to league opponent North Marion, a tournament loss to a Washington squad and fell in its season opener to 4A Seaside.

The Cougars are led by the Oregon West Player of the Year Landon Knox. Cougar Head Coach Justin Amaya picked up Coach of the Year for the conference also with two Cascade players, Anthony Best and Kaiden Ford being named to first-team honors.

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John L. Braese/easternoregonsports.com

Coach Shawn Brooks and the Tigers look to shake up the 4A basketball tournament with an upset victory over top seeded Cascade on Friday, March 1.